Contemporary Art Festival – Ruse 2026 Opens Its Program on May 16

On May 16 at 4:00 PM, the Ruse Art Gallery will launch the festival program for contemporary art, unfolding a series of exhibitions, installations, video works, interventions, and performances across various locations in the city.

The initiative brings together artists from Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Portugal, Canada, Germany, Italy, Serbia, Russia, and the Czech Republic. The projects employ a wide range of artistic forms — animation, video, object, sound, and performance — addressing themes such as memory, identity, ecology, the urban environment, and the relationship between humans and contemporary technologies.

Highlights include the animated installation by Lea Vidakovic, projects by Daniela Kostova and Niya Pushkarova, as well as the exhibition “Chronotypes” by Imaginar Collective. Some of the works are created in direct relation to the urban environment and architecture, turning individual locations into active elements of the artistic experience.

A special place in the program is dedicated to video projects, primarily presented at the Canetti House. There, audiences will encounter works that use the moving image as a medium for personal narrative, observation, and visual environment. The participating artists adopt diverse approaches — from poetic and documentary structures to experimental visual forms — creating a space for a more focused and intimate viewing experience.

The program is conceived as a movement between different points in the city rather than as a single exhibition setting. In this way, the festival encourages visitors to construct their own route and sequence of encounters, images, and situations.

The full program can be found in the “Program” section of the website.

Media partners: Dir.bg and Impressio

The project is realized with the financial support of the National Culture Fund

and with the in-kind support of Angel Kanchev University of Ruse and Visitek Ltd.